Daddy Ryoga
by obsidians
Summary: After Ryoga is given his previously unknown daughter to raise, he goes to Nerima to make decisions about his life.
1. Chapter 1

Don't ask me why I'm even attempting to write this. This is your fault tuatara for complaining about there not being enough Ryoga/Akane pairings for your liking. I actually found myself thinking; well I can't write Mousse _all _the time. Anywho I'll give it a whirl and hope for the best. Any reviewers, please feel free to give me ideas about what might add to the story. I'm trying to write a pairing I'm not generally good at 0_o

Sid

I don't own Ranma, Rumiko does. She and I just share him on Tuesdays when he comes in for his weekly spankings.

Ryoga Hibiki, the eternally lost boy was only six days late to meet the person who had summoned him. He blushed at the remembrance of the single night they'd spent together. It had been a weird night; she'd been depressed about her fiancé dumping her and Ryoga in a similar state over Akane. They hadn't even really known each other, she'd been drinking with friends, who'd pointed out to her that Ryoga was cute and that she should go talk to him. She'd invited him to come back to her hotel room for a drink and then they'd...His impression of that night was she'd kissed him and he'd kissed her back, eager for affection. He'd hesitated when she'd started undoing his clothes but had given in as soon as she'd started touching him. The next day he'd woken up with a pounding head and overwhelming grief that he'd cheated on Akane. She'd told him that it was alright that he was in love with someone else and they had parted after they had exchanged addresses.

He hadn't heard from her, or really thought about her, until his mother had called him and read her letter saying that it was urgent that they meet. So taking a map, one of the same ones that his father designed for a living, he'd gone to her home. Keiko Tanaka, that was her name. She was a petite girl a year old then Ryoga with long black hair and blue eyes. He blushed again when he remembered how she'd slipped her clothes off and stood naked before him. Ryoga had got a nosebleed, but fueled by liquid courage, had made love to her with an intensity that had surprised them both. Ryoga recalled the feeling of bliss that had been soooo briefly, his virginal body unable to cope with the sensation. It had been his first time, but not hers.

Finally locating the right place, he was allowed up to her apartment by her landlady. "Ryoga" Keiko said, glad he'd arrived.

"Hi Keiko, I got your message. Are you okay" he greeted her.

"I need your help" she replied.

"Sure anything" he said in confusion and then he heard a thin wail. "What was that?" he asked.

Keiko took a deep breath and towing him by his well sculpted bicep, she led him over to a cradle in the next room. "Ryoga, this is your daughter Midori Hibiki. She's four months old. I need you to take her, my fiancé and I got back together again and we are supposed to be married as soon as I get back from the States, where he and my parents think I've been for the past year, while I've been staying here with a friend until she was born. They can't know about her, my father would disown me and Kenji would never marry me. Please, I can't stand to give her up for adoption; she needs to be with her father. Please believe me, I've only been with one other man besides Kenji and that was you." She almost begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Ryoga could only stare in shock at the tiny infant; she looked so small and fragile. "But I don't know anything about taking care of babies! My life on the road wouldn't be good for her, she might get sick or hurt!" he cried, overwhelmed by the idea of being a father. He was only sixteen and could barely look after himself!

She placed a hand on his arm "I don't know you very well, but you seem like you'd be a good father. I have to know she's in good hands" she explained. "It's either you or the orphanage"

Ryoga kept on eyeing the dark haired baby, looking for any sign she could possibly be his. Yes she had a similar skin tone to his... and then she opened her eyes and regarded him. They were large and olive green; so like his own. Any doubt as to who her father was fled. He had a daughter!

"I'll take her and raise her" he promised the distraught teenaged mother.

"Thank you, I knew you would" she cried gratefully. "I have to leave today; I was expecting you days ago. I have to meet my parents at the airport. I'll give you a crash course in early childhood care. I brought you enough formula and diapers to last you for a few weeks at least and a portable crib. Baby clothes were given to my by my friend, you just have to dress her, feed her, change her, bathe her and keep her warm..." she explained and then gave him a grateful hug and went to meet her taxi.

Ryoga sat in his tent that night watching his sleeping daughter, he examined her birth certificate again, as if to see that the name of the father section had changed from Ryoga Hibiki; it hadn't.

He examined her and knew that he could no longer be the wandering nomad that he was and wondered what he should do. He knew that Midori would need a stable home, baby furniture, proper medical care and all the other things the things that babies needed. He was lucky that it was the summer and she could stay in his tent with him, but for how much longer? He placed a finger on her petal soft cheek and she gripped it with surprising strength and he felt a wave of love and protectiveness for the tiny scrap of human life.

Not sure what to do, Ryoga did what he always did in times of depression or need; he sought out Akane.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N

Hi everyone, yes still toiling over the storyline and trying to keep my T rating lol, hard for me to do. In order to write a story like this, I frequently write in my 'usual' style and then delete most of the scene :)

Thanks for the nice reviews from my peeps, but I have a question for people who reviewed stating that they prefer Ranma/Akane pairings. Er tons of those to read, not hard to find by any means. Still I encourage you to keep reading if you want to come along for the ride.

This is quite the departure from my usual style, being I'm a Mousse/Whoever girl. Those who know me, stop groaning and rolling your eyes, this information was very apparent from my most of other stories.

Anywho, again if anyone wants to suggest elements to add or a direction this should go in, feel free. If I use them, I shall credit you for them, I always have in the past.

I'll shut up now and let you read.

Sid

It took two weeks for Ryoga to reach Nerima and in that time Midori had become Ryoga's world. It had been awkward at first trying to understand her needs when she cried and Ryoga found himself pacing and rocking her in his arms while he helpless repeated the checklist out loud. 1. See if she's hungry offering her a bottle. 2. See if she needs changing. 3. Check to see if her gums look irritated in case she's teething. 4. Wrap a blanket around her in case she's cold. He would do all these things and most times she would stop crying, but not all the time and sometimes, the sleep deprived boy would find himself offering her money if only she would _stop crying_. Sometimes he wondered if she was missing her mother and felt frustrated the guilty.

He'd been mystified to learn how many times she needed to be fed in a day, but managed to keep her on schedule, even though it meant he was a stumbling zombie most of the time. He was frequently given tips by mothers that he met along the way who were curious about so young a boy travelling alone with so small a child, these women offered him advice and sometimes, a place to for stay the night or even hand me down baby stuff that he lacked.

It was from these kindly souls that he learned how to bond with Midori. He was entranced with her from the first, marveling over her soft baby skin, her tiny toes and fingers, her toothless smile, plump belly and cheeks, the soft dark fuzz on her head and her large eyes, so like his own. She was a cute baby who drew compliments from women wherever Ryoga took her. She was also a fairly quiet baby and not fussy for the most part, with a cry that could wake the dead when she did.

Ryoga now had someone to talk to while he travelled. He'd been a bit dubious when a woman had said to speak to her and call himself Daddy so that she would learn to identify him with that name when she started to speak, to play games with her, sing to her and cuddle her a lot. Apparently babies needed a lot of attention and affection and love. So Ryoga sang to her, he felt stupid singing and didn't believe he had much of a voice, but she seemed to like it. He found himself talking with her on a regular basis and was often rewarded with her happy coos and heartbreaking smile. He'd felt proud when a woman showed him how to hold Midori's hands to stand her up and her chubby little legs actually bore her weight! She seemed to be changing every day and he marveled at each new aspect of her development, it was exciting...and worrisome. Each time he learned something new about babies, it just added to the list of what she would need for now or for the future; a pediatrician to see her through her childhood, a stable home with running water, plumbing, a proper kitchen and room for a crib, diapers, formula, then finding a good kindergarten for her, followed by high school, school expenses, birthdays gifts, Christmas gifts, driving lesson. It seemed insurmountable.

The one thing she needed the most was a mother, but Ryoga didn't even know how to go about getting one for her and it made him feel...helpless. He lived simply and sometimes supplemented the money his parents gave him by doing construction work; therefore he didn't really spend a lot of money so it just tended to pile up in his account. It had been fine for when it was just him, but wouldn't be enough to support the both of them when he finally figured out what to do. Was he even old enough to sign a lease on an apartment if by any chance anyone would rent one to him? Then he would have to worry about key deposits, coming up with first and last month's rent and then monthly rent itself. He'd left a message at his parents place, hoping that they would allow him to come home and not be too upset that he'd become a father so soon in life. He knew that they would both be disappointed in him at first, but in the end would welcome them both into their home and help him to raise her. Ryoga would go back to school and make sometime of himself, so that Midori wouldn't have to tell her future friends that her father flipped burgers for a living on career day. However he remembered that they were away on vacation and as they suffered from the same directional challenge as him, they could be gone for months! Neither of them bothered owning cell phones, they just lost them!

Ryoga knew that this was his last road trip for a long time; he could no longer afford to waste his life trying to best Ranma. Now that Midori was in his life, his martial arts would have to take a backseat. His quarrel with Ranma seemed so juvenile now and his love for Akane still confusing but he had to be a man from now on. He had a daughter now.

He was happy when a young woman pulled over and asked him if he needed a ride, he asked if she was going to Nerima and she was! Of course he directed her to the wrong place and he ended up at the Nekohanten instead of the Tendo house.

Nekohanten

Ranma and Akane had stopped for lunch there as the summer had just begun so they didn't have to go to school. "Isn't that Ryoga?" Ranma asked, spying the other boy getting out of a car. He was immediately identifiable by his signature black and yellow clothes and bandanna, when he pulled a huge backpack out of the trunk of the car; that clinched it.

"Yes, I wonder what he's doing here?" Akane said, starting for the door to call him inside before he got lost.

"Probably came to pick a fight with me" Ranma muttered, wondering if he could eat first before defeating Ryoga.

Ryoga looked around confused, when did Akane and her family opened a Chinese restaurant? None of them were Chinese as far as he knew. If anything he could see them opening some kind of martial arts based Japanese restaurant like Ukyou's. Surely Akane wasn't doing any cooking here? He wondered and tentatively called "Akane are you here?"

"Sure come on in Ryoga" Akane called from the front door. "I'll buy you lunch" she offered.

Ryoga lit up to see her and eagerly walked to her. Akane was happy to see her friend approach but wondered why he was wearing a small backpack in front of him and another one on his back. It's wasn't until he stepped into the café and was greeted by Shampoo that she clued into what the one on his front contained.

"Hi Ryoga, welcome to Nekohanten" she greeted her friend. Out of all the males in Ranma's life, Shampoo liked Ryoga the best as he seemed the nicest one of them all. Peering into his carrier, she spotted a small baby head peering at her. It looked cute under her little bunny eared cap and she smiled at it. "Such cute baby, it your cousin, brother, sister or something?" she asked him and wondered what he was blushing about.

"Baby, what baby?" Ranma demanded and both he and Akane stared at the small girl as if she was an alien. Thrilled with the attention, Midori laughed and tucked her fingers into her mouth.

Ryoga looked sheepish "her name's Midori, she's four months old" he explained, embarrassed to admit what she was to him in front of Akane in case she seemed disappointed in him at how Midori was conceived.

"Can Shampoo hold her? We must show her to great-grandmother, she loves babies" Shampoo cried.

"And just how are you related to Midori?" Ranma asked, regarding his blushing friend. Akane could only stare back and forth, looking at them in confusion.

"She's my...my..." he stammered as he fished Midori out of her carrier and handed her over to the eager Amazon girl.

"Who's that?" Mousse asked joining them, peering at the baby that Shampoo was cooing over.

"She come with Ryoga, look she has her father's beautiful green eyes. She gonna be heartbreak" Shampoo announced.

"What!" Akane, Mousse and Ranma all cried at the same time.

"Ryoga you didn't..." Akane started and blushed, not able to finish her sentence.

"No way...you can't have. Did you?" Ranma stammered, blushing just as badly as Akane.

"Wait you had s..." Mousse asked, just as red as the others. He was interrupted when a voice cried out.

"What's going on here, why aren't you two working?" asked Cologne as she joined them.

"We just admire Ryoga's daughter, Midori" Shampoo replied.

"Ryoga has a daughter?" Her old wise eyes peered at the small child in her great-granddaughter's arms and then looked at Ryoga. "Well this is new. For how long have you been a father?" she asking the question that was on everyone's minds. Well those that weren't still trying to wrap their head around the idea that Ryoga had actually had physical relations with someone...and a female no less!

"Yeah way to share that information" Ranma said sourly.

"I've only known for a couple of weeks, she was kind of a surprise to me as well" he explained.

"Where have you been living?" she asked him through narrowed eyes.

"She's been staying in my tent with me" he replied.

"Tent? A baby can't camp out with you indefinitely" Cologne stated.

"I know, I'll find some place to stay until my parents get home" he retorted...and find it, his brain added.

"Would you like to stay with us?" Akane asked him softly, her heart when out to the distraught looking Ryoga.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, babies need a quiet place as they need lots of rest. No offense to your house, Akane, but between Ranma battling his father and all of son-in-laws various enemies and fiancées showing up, your home's anything but quiet" Cologne stated.

"Yeah like I invite them" Ranma muttered.

"We can't stay in a hotel, it would financially drain me" Ryoga pointed out.

"There _is _an option; I bought an investment property a couple of months ago that's only a few blocks over. There's a two bedroom apartment available, I can let you have it for about six months rent free or until you get yourself sorted, provided you agree to act as the building supervisor" Cologne suggested. She felt sorry for Ryoga as she had a soft spot in her heart for the lonely seeming boy.

"Sure, I could do that" Ryoga said relieved, the last thing he wanted to do was stay in the same house as Ranma!

"Then it's settled, it's fully furnished with a basic living room suite, chair and table in the kitchen and a double futon and dresser in each bedroom. You would need a crib a however" she pointed out.

"My mother kept literally everything that we ever used. I know it's still up in the attic, we can lend it to you" Akane offered, joining them. She was holding Midori and smiling at her, this made Ryoga feel kind of shivery inside.

"You'd do that Akane?" Ryoga asked..

"Sure anything for a friend" she replied with a smile.

Ryoga felt his grin faltering a bit "yeah I'm your friend" he replied.

"How are you feeding her?" Cologne asked.

"I have formula that her mother gave me" he replied. "I use my camp stove and a thermometer to heat it up in a baby bottle, I always make sure the nipples are properly sterilized" he assured her at her dubious expression.

"Is there someone who could act as a wet nurse for Midori? Formula will keep her alive and allow her to put on weight properly, but breast milk would be so much better for her. Babies who breast feed are known to have better immune systems and few allergies" Cologne explained.

"Perhaps my sister but she might be a little young for that and I seriously doubt she's pregnant" Ryoga said.

"She certainly is not!" Ranma cried and flushed bright red. Ryoga just wondered what he meant.

"Most women can lactate if properly stimulated, they needn't be pregnant; it's often done in cases of adoption to allow the mother and child to bond or when a child's mother dies. There are chemicals that can induce lactation, but honestly all that needed is proper nipple stimulation and patience. It normally takes about eight to fifteen days for most women to start lactating to if you go the natural way but some rare women just put the baby to breast and milk starts flowing right away" Cologne explained.

"I really don't know anyone who..." Ryoga started, boggling at the information.

"I'll do it" Akane cried.

"No you won't!" Ranma protested.

"Who died and left you in charge of me?" Akane asked him, staring at him through narrowed eyes.

"Akane, I can't ask you..." Ryoga stammered, while he struggled against images of it.

"You're not, I'm volunteering. You need a wet nurse and I have breasts" she declared.

"I...I" Ryoga stammered.

"Well that's settled, Mousse will explain the procedure to Ryoga of how to stimulate lactation in Akane while I give Akane the key so she can start moving in" Cologne intervened, saving Ryoga from a nosebleed.

"Why is _Mousse _explaining this to me? Why not you or Shampoo?" he protested.

"The men in our tribe look after the children, he can help you with most things child related due his training" Cologne explained.

"What do you mean Akane's moving in with Ryoga!" Ranma demanded.

"I have to move in with Ryoga?" Akane stammered.

"Yes what do you mean by that?" Ryoga questioned, looking at Akane with surprise in his eyes.

"A baby this age still has to be breastfed about every three hours, it would be much easier for Akane live there rather then having to express the milk and drop it off. Breast milk doesn't have a very long shelf life and straight from the source is best. Akane will have to move in with Ryoga until other arrangements are made" Cologne concluded.

"Sure, it could be fun and I could help you with Midori" Akane agreed, holding the cooing baby.

"Are you sure you don't mind? You can take the other bedroom that Midori isn't occupying and I'll sleep in the living room" Ryoga offered.

"Sure that could work" Akane replied, smiling at him, glad she could help Ryoga out in a tough situation.

"I forbid it, Akane's not moving in with Ryoga" Ranma said again.

"Whatever, I have to go home to pack and have daddy deliver the crib for assembly. See you at home roomie" Akane said brightly after receiving the key from Cologne.

"I'll drop him off as soon as I give him the instructions' Mousse promised her.

"Wait get back here!' Ranma cried as Akane departed after sticking her tongue out at Ranma.

"I hold Midori why you talk with Mousse" Shampoo stated, clearly enjoying the infant's company.

"It's kind of like this, in order to stimulate a woman's nipple into lactation, her partner must mimic the motion of drawing milk from a breast as a baby would about eight times a day, for a period of twenty minutes at a time or as many times as woman can handle it in a day. Or the nipples can be stimulated by either massage or light pinches for about the same amount of times, for the same time period. Either one of those would work" Mousse explained.

"You mean that I have to ask Akane to let me suck her...or! I can't do that!" Ryoga cried...both shocked and a little aroused by the idea.

"You know, if I hadn't seen proof with my own eyes, I would swear you were still a vir..." Mousse started.

"Shut up!" Ryoga cried.

"Or you she can just use a breast pump on herself for as often as she can handle it during the day, for period of about twenty minutes at a time; that's equally as effective" Mousse added.

"You could have mentioned that in the first place" Ryoga growled.

"It was more fun to shock you' Mousse replied.

"Do you know what a sadist is?" Ryoga asked him; Mousse only smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

Gak, I had a hard time writing this chapter for some reason. Not enough Mousse? Not enough lemons? Lol, I have lots of elements for chapter, just have to think how to set them up. Yes Sid is an idiot sometimes.

Again any help you want to give me help is urgently sought.

Btw, it was znta who suggested the idea for Ranma getting sick at the thought at breast feeding while in girl form. Thanks home!

Sid

Akane was packing her clothes when her father stormed in "What's the meaning of this. Ranma told me that you intend to move in with Ryoga and feed his baby. You can't leave your home and live with that-that playboy!" he roared.

"You're engaged to my son, how could even consider living with another man?" Genma cried.

"Daddy, I'm going. Ryoga needs all the help he can get. His daughter's tiny he's all alone" Akane explained.

"Then he can go home, I honestly don't know why his parents allow him to roam around like that anyway. Look at the trouble it led to, him becoming a father at the age of sixteen! I refuse to allow my daughter to get entangled with the likes of him" Soun cried.

"You tell her. Tendo" Genma said.

"There's nothing wrong with Ryoga, he's a gentleman. He got himself in trouble and is trying to make the best of the situation and do what is right for _his_ daughter" Akane replied as she shut her suitcase. "He never denied that she was his and he loves her and intends to raise her. Certainly you can respect that. As far as him going home, he wants to talk to his parents first to make sure they will welcome Midori. Until then he's living in an apartment Cologne loaned him. All I would be doing is feeding her, not dating him."

"But why does it have to be you?" Soun roared.

"Who else is there, he's an only child and doesn't seem to have a lot of female friends. Consider it good training for when I have my own children" Akane said persuasively.

Soun hesitated for a second "no, it's wrong for an unwed young girl to live with a boy. Especially if that boy expects her to feed a child that isn't even hers" he thundered.

"He doesn't, I offered because Ryoga's my friend and I want to help him. How would you feel if it were me or Kasumi or Nabiki all alone in the world with a small baby?" she asked him.

"My daughters would never be in that situation" Soun said with more certainty then he felt.

"Father you should let her go. You know Ryoga's sense of direction, what if he gets lost. Who's going to take care of his baby?" Kasumi said softly. "Akane's very mature for her age and she's right, Ryoga isn't one to try and take advantage of this situation"

He looked persuaded for a second and then said, "your place is at home with your fiancée" he thundered. "If you must move in with anyone it should be Ranma"

"I'm going, you have two choices, I can move Ryoga in here and the entire family can help out with crying baby who will wake you up every three hours needing to be fed or changed or I can move into the spare room of Ryoga's apartment and you can all get a decent night's rest. Did I mention that she has a cry on her that could wake the dead?"

Soun head was suddenly filled with the shriek of crying babies. He'd gone through that three times and wasn't ready to hear it again. He just shuddered.

"Naturally everyone who's involved with the active care of Midori would be forbidden to drink" Akane added slyly.

"I suspect you could also forget about sitting around all day long with Mr. Saotome playing mahjong" Kasumi added.

"And don't forget that the only free room in the place is where Ranma and Mr. Saotome sleep, imagine Ryoga and a baby moving into it with them" Akane added.

"You would do that to me, Tendo?" Genma said with a gasp.

"I don't know" Soun said cautiously.

"It could be great experience for when Akane has her own children with Ranma as she said" Kasumi pointed out.

"Okay but only until that wretched boy goes home and Kasumi and I get key and can come in whenever we want, day or night and if anything looks the least bit suspicious, you're coming right home" Soun replied.

"I can live with those conditions" Akane said.

"You have my permission then" he grudgingly agreed.

"Great, grab the crib, we have to deliver it to the apartment" Akane said in triumph. She hummed as she walked while two middle aged men struggled with the awkward object behind her.

Ranma

"Stupid Akane why did she have to go and volunteer for something like...that" he said with a shudder. "What wrong with feeding a baby formula anyway? That means that Akane's going to be taking her top off and put her...in a babies mouth" he mused and blushed when he pictured it and then suddenly the image was replaced with his girl half doing the same thing. Ranma bolted into an alleyway and vomited.

Ryoga's and Akane's Apartment

Akane quickly unpacked and set up the crib, her father had offered to do it but she hadn't wanted him to stay a second longer than necessary unless he changed his mind. Humming she looked around her temporary home. The kitchen was in an alcove just off the living room and the two bedrooms exited off a small hallway along with the washroom. Everything was clean but basic. The sofa set was in a neutral colour, the futons plain white and waiting for sheet and the dressers the sort that came in a box and plain white blinds covered the windows. She'd supplied the western style shower with soap, shampoo and conditioner that she'd brought with her and arranged her toiletries in the medicine cabinet, making sure to leave room for Ryoga's. It was slightly weird an idea what she would be sharing common bathroom items with Ryoga but didn't mind it really.

Ryoga

Ryoga and Mousse were walking to his temporary residence after stopping to buy a breast pump; the cashier had given the two boys a strange look at their request as if they had nefarious plans for it, but had sold it to them without comment.

"Just remember my instructions and encourage her to use it, women need support in this" Mousse mentioned.

"I doubt she'll even let me in the same room when she's going to use it on her br..." Ryoga started with a blush.

"They're called breasts, you might was well get used to saying the word. You're about to see a whole lot of them" Mousse commented.

"Akane would never do that in front of me!" Ryoga cried, embarrassed at the idea.

"She's probably going to have to do it in front of you and in public when you go out together and Midori needs to feed. She'll hold a towel in front of Midori for modesty's sake I imagine. You have to stop thinking about her breasts as a sexual objects" Mousse chided him.

"I don't!" Ryoga cried flustered.

"Right" Mousse said with a chuckle. Akane was ready for them when they arrived. "Here they both are safe and sound" Mousse told her.

"Thanks for dropping them off' Akane said.

"You make it sound like I'm a kid" Ryoga protested as he undid the baby carrier and pulled Midori out.

Mousse's eyes travelled from father to daughter "close enough" he said with a shrug and then left chuckling.

"Well this is our home" Akane said spreading her arms. "Come on, I chose this room and thought this one would be better for Midori as it's quieter" she explained leading him through the place. Ryoga smiled at her enthusiasm, it felt almost like they were a married couple getting their first apartment together. "I put the crib together" she said pointing to it. "Let's put Midori into her new bed" she enthused.

"Hold it" Ryoga said, picking up a stuff animal, he placed it inside and both jumped when it collapsed.

"I'm so sorry I guess I didn't set it up properly" Akane cried.

"It's okay, you always have to test baby furniture before you use it the first time no matter who sets it up" Ryoga said with a laugh. Taking the small tool kit he kept in his pack, he slipped out of his outer shirt so he was just wearing his sleeveless yellow t-shirt and he goy to work. Akane was accustomed to him wearing his usual clothes and found herself studying as he reassembled her mistake. He was cute she realized...and had a really nice butt. Her thoughts were interrupted when he said. "I see, you didn't align the bolts properly. It should be okay now. Akane are you okay?" he asked her with concern, noticing that she was blushing.

"Of course, I didn't know you were so hands-handy is all" she stammered.

"I do some construction work for time to time, so I've picked up a few skills" he said dismissively. "Now let's get this little girl to bed" he said after the crib held that time. Akane watched again while he deftly fed and changed the small girl, put her into a nice warm onesie and put her into her new bed after giving her one final cuddle, "Good night" he whispered to her and kissed her soft head, drawing Akane with him, he softly closed the door.

"Where did you learn all that?" she asked, impressed.

"Through instructions from her mother, through other mothers I met and through trial and error. You have to learn fast when a tiny helpless creature depends on you" he explained, taking a seat in the couch in exhaustion, glad to be somewhere warm with soft places to sit on for once.

"Do you want to tell me about her mother?" Akane asked, sitting beside him.

Ryoga could smell her sweet scent and almost shivered. "Yes you have a right to know. Her name's Keiko and I met her at a bar when I was drinking because I felt depressed and the bartender thought I was old enough to. She's just gotten dumped by her fiancé and was depressed too, so her friends took her drinking and encouraged to look for someone that she could have a...distraction with" Ryoga admitted with a blush. "She found me and one thing led to the other and we... It was just the one time, my first actually and I never saw her again until a couple of weeks ago. She decided against having an abortion and didn't want to get me involved as she was already back together with her fiancé by then. So she stayed at her friend's place and gave birth to Midori in secret, thinking she could give her up for adoption. However once Midori was born, she didn't want her to go to people she didn't know so she contacted me, the rest you know" he said looking at Akane with pleading eyes as he added. "Akane if I'd known, I would have offered to marry her or insisted on being involved in Midori's life if she said no. I would never abandon a pregnant girl, you have to believe me" he almost begged. He gasped when Akane's arms snaked around him, he raised his own trembling arms to envelope her and allowed he himself to be held. When she pulled away, he asked "what was that for?"

"You've had a hard time lately and you looked like you needed a hug" she said with a shrug.

"Thanks Akane" Ryoga said, yet enjoying being with her.

"Now tell me how we induce me?" she asked without missing a beat, not knowing how precious a gift she'd just bestowed on the lonely boy.

Ryoga blushed at how she said 'we', thinking of all that Mousse had explained to him. "You use this breast pump and you can also do it by massaging your breasts and using finger stimulation on your nipples and areola. Perhaps you might want to try a combination of both?" he asked, proud himself for being able to say the word breasts without blushing and he went on to explain the amounts and times.

Akane herself was blushing and was proud of Ryoga for remaining so calm and being so clinical about the explanation. Until she said, "you'll help me with this right?"

"What" he cried in a shocked voice.

"Talk to me and encourage me from the next room, what did you think I meant?" she asked.

"Nothing!" he replied.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N

Hey hey hey I got my groove back baby.

Yes this chapter didn't suck in my opinion and I hope you enjoyed it.

Have a nice weekend everyone:)

Sid

Ryoga and Akane had lived together for a week now she found herself drawn to the young father. He proved to be a polite and clean roommate who seemed to enjoy her company as well and value her opinions. He was so different from Ranma; well mannered with an even temperament and never had a single bad thing to say about Akane. They were normally both tired because although they both took turns caring for Midori, her cries woke them both every three hours or so. However they seemed to be a good team, Akane's knowledge had come from occasionally babysitting for people she knew and Ryoga's from his own knowledge gained from being Midori's sole caregiver. Ryoga had taken over the kitchen and turned out surprisingly good meals when the kindly Kasumi didn't drop food by because she happened 'to make too much' or the Amazons brought something from their restaurant.

As for Midori, Akane had fallen hard for her; she was a happy, sweet baby who was easy to love. She was quite social despite not being able to talk and seemed to enjoy meeting new people...and having them join her fan club. However it was Ryoga who's company she seemed to enjoy the most, her tiny limbs would stretch up to him for his embrace whenever she saw him and this would cause a tender smile to break out on his face that made him look positively...sweet. Akane felt a tug at her heart when Midori started reacting the same way to her.

Akane was inside her room stroking her breasts and stimulating her areola and nipples for the fourth time that day, it still felt weird to do this, but Akane was determined to make herself lactate if it killed her! Sometimes for all the effort, it seemed kind of discouraging to achieve no results, but she kept trying. She preferred this method as the breast pump had chaffed her nipple. Akane had noticed differences in her breasts; they seemed to be fuller and heavier then before and wouldn't fit in her bra quite so well...and ached at the end of the day. However their increase in size was a good indication according to everything Akane had read on the subject, not that she would dare ask Ryoga if he noticed a difference again, he'd almost had had a heart attack the one time she had.

Akane sat on her futon wearing just an unbuttoned shirt and smiled as she thought about Ryoga. She'd been happy at how he'd suggested that she stop if her breasts were hurting her; this had made her all the more determined. He helped support her by talking to her through the door, encouraging her, sometimes even reading to her to stave off the boredom and strange feelings of arousal that he didn't know about it.

Akane blushed at this; Akane had always been shy about sex, of course she knew it happened and how to go about it. She had been repulsed by the idea since being groped by boys since she was twelve and preferred wearing clothes the hid her curves as result. Sex to Akane was meant to be accompanied by a vow, a gold ring and true love. Her mouth twitched in mirth as she thought about Ryoga, he didn't seem much better then her. The closest they'd come to discussing that taboo topic was when he'd given her an extremely sanitized version of Midori's conception. He was so modest and shy that it wasn't hard for Akane to picture that Midori had been hatched out a pod, rather then having come from his loins. So they both were careful not to catch a glimpse of the other one in a state of undress and kept their conversations on general, safe topics was their unspoken agreement while living together. .

Ryoga sat in a chair outside of Akane's room with the door firmly shut between them, he blushed and tried not to picture what Akane was doing in there, "Akane can I get you something? Perhaps a magazine to read?" he offered.

"Sorry I don't have three hands, I only have two and they're both busy" she called brightly back.

"Oh you're right, sorry" he replied stupidly.

Akane couldn't help smiling at how awkward his voice sounded. It was funny how when he was doing martial arts or trying to help someone, he had all the confidence in the world. Yet Ryoga was normally awkward and seemed uncomfortable in his own skin. It was kind of...endearing. He'd seemed to have gained a little more confidence since becoming a father and he took his job as building supervisor/superintendent very seriously. He collected rents and did building repairs; the tenants seem to respect him despite his tender age...and walked him back to his apartment after he was done with their units as Cologne had warned them all about his directional issues. Akane giggled as she worked her tender flesh to remember what happened a few days ago.

Flashback

Akane was supposed to meet Kasumi, but forgot her keys. So she turned back to fetch them, the sight that met her eyes upon opening the apartment door made her freeze in shock.

Ryoga had placed Midori on the bedroll that he slept on in the living room and had covered her face with one of his bandanas. "Where's Daddy? Here he is" he cried in a gooey voice as he whipped it off her. Midori laughed with delight and pumped her small limbs every time he did it. Akane suppressed her giggles at the tender scene.

Then he seemed to look sternly at her. "I must say you're not much of a conversationalist...and you lack teeth and are kind of short. Can you even say Daddy?" he asked her with a frown.

She gurgled something like "ba ba."

"You can!" he cried sweeping her up and holding her over his head. "No one told me my kid was a genius! You'll probably be reading by the time you're three!" he cried.

Akane thought what she was viewing was extremely sweet. Suddenly he started gyrating around and singing in a surprisingly good voice:

Hello, my baby

Hello, my honey

Hello, my ragtime gal

Send me a kiss by wire

Baby, my hearts on fire

If you refuse me

Honey, you'll lose me

Then you'll be left alone

Oh baby, telephone

And tell me I'm your own

Suddenly Akane couldn't repress her giggles and Ryoga turned around in horror and he blushed a painful looking shade of red. He looked to Akane as if he'd literally been caught with his pants down.

"How long have you been standing there?" he stammered.

"Here's Daddy" Akane repiled with a giggle.

"I play with Midori like this, she seems to like it" he said, feeling really lame.

"Hey there's nothing wrong with playing with your daughter. Feel free to do it whenever you want. Perhaps we could sing a duet sometime" she suggested, taking the small girl from him and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"You're a great person Akane" Ryoga said, wishing she would give him one too.

Akane set her on her hip and with her fist pumping in the air, started singing. "The Farmer in the Dell"

Ryoga winced, Akane had a voice you could file your nails with, but Midori seemed to be enjoying herself as Akane danced her around the room. Ryoga frowned when she sang the word pig...that was something he had to admit to her soon.

End Flashback

Akane was so intent on her memory that it took a second to register it when liquid rushed out of her breast. She gave a gasp of surprise and tugged her experimentally again and the same thing happened!

At Akane's gasp, Ryoga leaped to his feet and he was about to throw open the door when sanity prevailed. "A-are you okay Akane?" Ryoga called and got hit in the face by the door and Akane came dancing out.

"It worked, I'm a lactatin' like crazy" she sang.

Ryoga pushed the door away from his aching face and rubbing it, turned to Akane and he froze. "You might want to button your shirt" he said in a strangled voice.

Akane blushed when she looked down, to be fair, both sides of her blouse covered her breasts themselves, and only a narrow channel of smooth flesh showed at the parted front and a little bit of the valley between her breasts. She quickly turned around hastily buttoned it. "Sorry I didn't to make you feel uncomfortable" she said.

"It's quite okay" Ryoga assured her, trying not to imagine what the rest of her chest might look like.

So it began, Akane was shy at first about breastfeeding Midori in front of Ryoga, but it was unavoidable with all of his comings and goings, so she started using a light sheet to hide herself, so that all he could see was part of the back of Midori's head. Akane felt a rush of tenderness whenever her tiny lips fastened onto her nipple and greedily drew milk from her while her tiny hands rested on Akane's breast. Ryoga seemed to be uncomfortable and moved by the tender scene at the same time.

It was Shampoo who finally got Akane out of the apartment and took her shopping. "Come on Akane, you have to get used to breastfeeding in public. We go to mall. You could feed Midori in washroom if you prefer" she suggested. "It beautiful day, nice day for Midori to go out" she added.

"I don't know" Akane said hesitantly. Akane had gotten used the Amazons, Kasumi and sometimes even Ranma dropping in to see how She and Ryoga were faring or to visit Midori.

"You should go enjoy yourself. I've got to install Mrs. Ito's new tub today anyway" Ryoga encouraged her.

"I guess" she replied.

"Good, we just have to adjust straps on baby carrier. Not all people have huge wide shoulders and magnificent male body like Ryoga" Shampoo teased and she and Akane laughed when he blushed.

Akane had never really trusted the crafty girl, but with all the help the Amazons had given Ryoga, she'd gotten to know them better and now they were almost like friends to her now...almost.

Akane and the purple haired girl set out for a day spent window shopping and enjoying a day at a mall as only teenaged girls could. "Here put on ring" Shampoo said handing her a plain band style ring.

"Why?" Akane asked.

"In Japan people seemed to look coldly as unwed teenaged girl with baby, but never seem to look at young married mother. It just fake wedding ring, it silver, but look like white gold if you not look too closely" she explained.

"I've never thought of that. Perhaps I should get Ryoga one for when we go out together" Akane mused, as she slipped it on, it fit perfectly.

"Sure bring him to China town to pick out size, I know person who sell these so cheap he practically give them away" Shampoo said with a giggle. Not aware that they were being observed.

"Akane Tendo with a baby; this my master has to know" Sasuke mused and leapt in the direction of the Kuno Mansion.

Akane and Shampoo tore through the mall but bought little, just enjoying themselves and their youth. Then they stopped for lunch.

"You really like babies" Akane said as Shampoo held various shades of yarn beside Midori's face to see if she could find one to match her eyes, so that she could have Mousse knit her a cap for her.

"I hope to have whole bus load of children one day" she replied. "I can't wait to marry Ranma. It be so sweet, I go to council and take care of business while he stay at home and take care of house and children. I get home and we eat dinner he prepared. Then I play with children and find out how their days were while he polishes my weapons and brushes Shampoo's shoes. I make such wonderful wife and mother" she said in a dreamy voice.

Akane normally felt jealous when other girls discussed marrying Ranma, yet she found that it didn't bother her that much right now and this surprised her and confused her. "I'm not sure I could picture Ranma behaving like that..." she started and then they were interrupted.

"Excuse Mrs...?" a man asked as he tapped Akane on the shoulder.

"Hibiki" Shampoo replied, giving her a mischievous smile, Akane just blushed.

"Hi my name is Renji Hu, I was wondering about your child..."

"What about Midori?' Akane asked.

"I'm an agent and I think she might make a good model for formula, diapers and various other type baby commercials and was wondering if you would let me to represent her" he asked handing Akane his card, showing that he was a modeling agent.

"I'll have to discuss it with my husband" she said, too embarrassed not to go along with what Shampoo had said.

"Well if you let me know by tomorrow, I would appreciate it. I have a couple big jobs coming up that she'd be perfect for" he said.

"Oh it take longer than that, he in Canada" Shampoo replied.

"What does he do in Canada?" Renji asked.

"Well he.." Shampoo thought and paused, trying to remember what they actually did in Canada from what little she knew of the place. What came to her mind was cutting wood, drinking beer and playing hockey. Since the first one didn't seem like much of a career, and the second one, not one at all, she said. "Playing hockey, him hockey player"

"Oh that's interesting, what position does he play?" Renji inquired.

"Quarter Back" Shampoo retorted.

"I thought that that was football. Which team does he play for?" he added.

"Not sure" Shampoo said and Akane shrugged.

"I have relatives in Canada, perhaps I can figure it out if you give me the province" he stated.

"Pennsylvanian" Shampoo cried happily.

"I'm pretty sure that's in the United States" Renji said with a frown.

"It no big deal, google Canada and Ryoga Hibiki and you find him. Come on Akane, she give you answer real soon" Shampoo said and both girls left laughing.

"I wouldn't doubt it if he finds actually finds articles about Ryoga being in Canada...and lots of other places" Akane said with a chuckle.

"Yes I can see now...lost Japanese boy arrested for trying to camp on top of Eiffel Tower, claims he was in Osaka' Shampoo intoned. Just then Midori got hungry and Akane was fortunate enough to be offered a changing room by a kindly sales girl.

Ryoga

Ryoga had begged off that the elderly Mrs. Ito had to walk him home on her walker, so he wandered around the small two storey apartment building for only an hour until his next door neighbour returned from bingo and took him home. He'd only been inside long enough to open a soda and put his feet up, when there was a pounding at his door.

Thinking something might have happened to Akane or Midori; he flew to the door and yanked it open. He glared at Kuno "Ryoga? Are you the husband of Akane Tendo?" he asked.

"No," Ryoga asked, wondering what the delusional kendoist wanted.

"You mean that you made Akane Tendo pregnant and are now living in sin with her?" Kuno said with a gasp.

"Pregnant, what are you talking about?" Ryoga cried.

"My servant saw Akane Tendo wearing a wedding ring and carrying a baby. So which is it, are you or are you not married to Akane Tendo?" Kuno demanded.

"I'm not" Ryoga retorted huffily.

"What sort of cad are you to conceive a child with a woman and _not_ ask for her hand in marriage. If you don't offer her marriage, then I shall and I'll raise your daughter as my own. Oh just think of it, I'll be so handsome a husband and father at seventeen" Kuno said dramatically.

"Get my kid out of your sick fantasies. "Midori's my daughter but Akane _isn't_ her mother. Akane's just helping me take care of her out of the kindness of her heart. Further more, we aren't living in sin, Akane sleeps in that bedroom over there, Midori has the other one and I sleep in the living room on my bed roll, there's nothing funny going on. Akane's here with her father's permission and this arrangement's only temporary" Ryoga explained.

"You mean that you and a woman...?" Kuno cried.

"Why does everyone keep on having that reaction? Is it that much of a stretch of the imagination? I'm obviously perfectly capable of fathering children" Ryoga roared.

"Hi Ryoga, Kasumi sent me with some food for you. What're you doing here Kuno?" Ranma asked.

"I came to inquire about Akane Tendo's child" he replied.

"My kid; Midori Hibiki, like Ryoga Hibiki!" Ryoga growled.

"He's right; I think you would have noticed if a huge, fat Akane was walking around the school. She's standing right behind me isn't she?" Ranma guessed at Ryoga's wave of greeting.

"Ranma what's this about huge fat Akane?" Akane asked in a deadly tone of voice.

"Akane that wasn't what I meant" Ranma objected.

"Ah Akane Tendo" Kuno started.

"Leave her alone" Ryoga said.

"Get lost Kuno" Ranma added.

"Ranma Saotome, I challenge you to the hand of Akane Tendo" Kuno cried, taking up his wooden practice sword.

"Now you're talking my language" Ranma said, taking his stance.

"Knock it off" Ryoga yelled.

"What?" Ranma said, stunned that someone would object to them sparring.

"In case you haven't noticed, there's a woman with a small baby in the hallway with you morons! I don't care where you pair of idiots fight, but you can't to it here! Cologne leant me this place out of the kindness of her heart and I intend to deliver it back to her in the same condition that I received it! You two meat heads don't live here, only Akane and I do! Come in Akane", Ryoga said and ushered her in and then turned back to them. "I want you both to leave right now! You two can come back when you're willing to act like civilized human beings" Ryoga snapped and shut the door in the stunned boy's faces.

"That was so cool" Akane enthused, like the more assertive side of her friend.

"Those two really need to grow up" Ryoga said with a growl and then went to heat up dinner.

Meanwhile on the Other Side of the Door

"I guess we got told" Ranma muttered.

"Well that was unpleasant" Kuno remarked. "Would you like to out for tea, Saotome?"

"You buying?" Ranma asked.

"Naturally" Kuno said.

"Sure why not, I've got nothing else to do today" Ranma said with a shrug.

When they were seated, Kuno asked. "That child back there, is it truly was Ryoga's"

"Yep he recently found out he knocked up some girl he hadn't seen in like, forever, she dumped the kid on him and Cologne leant him that place to stay until he can get in touch with his missing family to find out if he's even allowed home in view of the circumstances. As for Akane, she's helping him out" Ranma explained between chews.

"That's tragic" Kuno said in all honestly.

"I guess" Ranma said with a shrug, reaching for another dumpling.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

I would like to thank Richard Ryley for helping me puzzle out how to handle the whole P-Chan and I love you scene between Ryoga and Akane and tuatara for helping me focus on what Richard was trying to say and just spelling it out for me, lol. Tuatara, I might just have to take you up on your offer of seeking your help when I want to write the characters canon, which obviously isn't very often.

Yes another chapter on board and have finally figured out how to end this story. You're all going to love Ranma in the next chapter and you might be in for a bit of a shock.

Sid

Ryoga was playing with Midori while Akane was away visiting a friend, when his buzzer sounded. He answered it and was surprised to find Kuno in his hallway, pushing a baby stroller that was topped by foil helium balloon. "What do you want?" he asked him suspiciously. Ryoga had realized that his future was going to be spent fending off Midori's suitors and had grown suspicious of the ones currently after Akane.

"I came to give you this; I noticed that you don't have one. It's a top of the line and can hold a car seat" Kuno replied. "It also has a high safety rating, I checked"

"That's really nice of you" Ryoga said, touched by his generosity.

"I also come bearing other gifts as well", he replied, fishing two envelopes out of his shirt and handing them to Ryoga. "The first is a bank account in your daughter's name meant for her educational expenses; it can be unlocked on her eighteenth birthday by getting in touch with the bank, she'll have to present id of course. I had my accountant do projections of what tuition fees should be at that time, including clothing requirements for a teenaged girl, housing requirements, household expenses, entertainment, birth control" he added and then stopped when this earned him a glare from Ryoga. "The long and the short of it is; there should be more then enough money to see her through university, with plenty left over to get her started in a new career, perhaps it will even cover her wedding expenses" he added. "The other envelope contains a cheque to help you out at present; it's not much, but should see you through financially until you make a decision where you and Midori are going to live. Please know that I hired a private detective to track down your parents. If you need anything, such as clothes or things for Midori, go to any store and tell them to put it on my credit account. Also should your parents not accept you back home, the both of you are welcome to come live at the mansion with me, the place is huge and can easily accommodate one extra person and a small baby. Plus I could use a friend; Kodachi isn't much company quite frankly. Mind you the place would need major baby proofing" he said with a smile

Ryoga's eyes went wide to see what Kuno thought wasn't that much, he felt touched and then suspicious. "I don't have to promise for her to marry your kid or anything?" he demanded.

Kuno was baffled at the idea, not only was he no where close to even kissing a girl, let alone going through with the act involved to impregnate one. He certainly would never let his possible future son marry into the directionally challenged Hibiki family. What if Midori inherited her father's affliction? How would his son ever find his bride? Their children? Their grandchildren? "No that's okay, just say you'll accept the money" he assured him.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked him.

"I'm rich and can afford to and I want to help you out. I consider you a friend" he replied.

"Thanks, I accept" Ryoga replied. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?" he asked him and was surprised when Kuno blushed and started rolling his thumbs in nervousness. "Could-Could you explain to me what having sex is like?" he asked him.

Just then a voice said "what's this about sex?" and he turned around to see that Ranma had been let inside his place by Mousse, who had a key.

"How it is that all of you seem to arrive at the same time?" Ryoga asked sourly.

"I ran into Mousse on the way over and he said he was going this way, so I came with him" Ranma explained. "As for me, I brought Midori these clothes from Kasumi; they were from Akane when she was really little. Now what's this about sex?" Ranma demanded, narrowing his eyes at Ryoga.

"Kuno's asking what it feels like" Ryoga explained, pointing to the blushing older man.

"I was merely curious" he replied, "I mean what does it feel like to have done it only once in your life? I've had dozens of girls myself" he bragged, puffing out his chest.

"You're a virgin aren't you?" Ryoga stated.

"Yeah" he said in a deflated sounding voice.

"I would be curious to know that too" Mousse admitted with a blush.

"You also? How about you Ranma?" Ryoga asked.

"Yeah, it's true, I kissed someone once but that's about it" Ranma admitted.

"Yeah I remember that, it was more like _he_ kissed you" Ryoga said with a chuckle. Causing Ranma to blush and Mousse and Kuno to look at him with goggled eyes, they were about to ask for details when Ryoga started laughing,

"I fail to see what so funny" Ranma said.

"No it's not about you, well not entirely. I just think it's funny that all three of you are still virgins" Ryoga said in amusement.

"Why is that funny?" Ranma demanded.

"Well you have the jock, as in Kendo Club president; you Kuno. The most popular guy in school, who not only has four fiancées soaking their panties when he walks by, but other girls falling all over him; you Ranma and the Chinese pretty boy who lives with his dream girl, you Mousse. Yet all three of you are virgins! Not only do you all possess above average good looks, but you all have bodies that girls have wet dreams about…..and still all of you are virgins. You, you and you. Virgin, virgin, virgin." Ryoga chanted, pointing at each irritated boy in turn.

"Don't call me pretty!" Might I remind you that I also live with her great-grandmother? Kind of hard to seduce a girl with the old ghoul there. Besides, at least I have tons of practical knowledge about the female body." Mousse gloated.

"And you're still a virgin" Ryoga sang.

"I fail to see how sex is more important then martial arts" Ranma snarled, not catching it as Kuno circled his ear at Mousse and Mousse rolled his eyes.

"You know one of those fiancées is my sister, please don't mention the words; Ranma, fiancée, soaking or panties in the same sentence in my presence. Like you're so great, you only did it the once" Kuno snapped.

"Once more then any of you" Ryoga said in a sing song voice.

"Fine tell us about it then" snarled Kuno. "How did you seduce her, you stallion?" he demanded.

"She seduced me" he replied. That caused three boys jaws to drop.

"No way, that's impossible" Ranma protested.

"Yep she took off her clothes first, the rest I can't tell you because I'm too much of a gentleman" he replied primly.

"Was there drinking involved?" Mousse asked.

"A bit" Ryoga admitted. "Wait a minute are you suggesting that a girl has to be drunk in order to hit on me!" he demanding.

"Yep" Mousse replied.

"Mousse I ought…" Ryoga started.

"Look I think that you guys need to all the help you can get when it comes to sex. You want me to explain it to you?" Mousse asked them.

"Sure", both Ranma and Kuno agreed.

Later

"And the clitoris can be found at the top of a girl's vaginal lips, right here" Mousse said sketching a rough diagram of it.

Ryoga looked at it critically over his shoulder. "Mousse you're a horrible artist, it looks nothing like that!"

Kuno however was entranced by his drawing, "she let you touch this?" he asked Ryoga.

Ryoga glanced in the direction of his daughter's room, "she let me do more than that" he replied.

Akane was surprised to find all three males clustered around Mousse when she returned home, "hello everyone, I didn't know you all were coming" she called to them. "What are you guys doing? Mousse aren't you a little old for colouring?" she asked while four males looked at her through widely huge frightened eyes.

"Yes way too old" Mousse agreed with a nervous laugh. "I was just doing some diagrams for Kuno and Ranma to explain how to care for small infants. Here Ranma take this" he said shoving it towards the other boy.

"I don't want it" Ranma protested.

"I'll take it" Kuno offered.

"I think that that's really nice that you two are researching how to be babysitters for Midori" Akane said with approval in her voice. "Oh it sounds like someone's awake" she announced at the sound of baby gurgles coming from Midori's bedroom.

"Get rid of those!" Ryoga hissed.

"Not on your life!" Kuno hissed back.

"Hey it looks like you both can start supplementing your lessons right now, she needs changing" Akane called. "Come on everybody, who wants to learn how to do this?"

"Ryoga and I already know how" Mousse called back with a smile in his voice. "Go ahead Ranma and Kuno; you guys are in for a real treat"

"You're such a bastard" Kuno whispered as he grudgingly walked into the room with a reluctant Ranma trailing behind him.

"Now wait for it" Mousse said sharing a grin with Ryoga and both laughed to the chorus of ews.

"Now you have to undo the bottom her jumper and peel it back and remove her diaper to wipe her clean" Akane explained and both boys held their noses and gagged at the stench.

"How could something so small and cute produce something so vile?" Ranma wailed.

"It's not so bad when you get used to it" encouraged Akane, deftly cleaning Midori and putting a fresh diaper on her.

"This is _not_ something I intend to get used to" Kuno muttered.

"You'll get it in no time" Akane assured them," it'll be great training for when you're both fathers."

"My people are rich; we hire nannies to take care of smelly diapers" Kuno retorted.

Just then Midori started putting her lips to Akane's sweater. "Looks like someone's hungry" she cooed at her.

"I wouldn't mind watching that part" Kuno volunteered and Akane blushed and glared at him.

"Let's go you pervert" Ranma said, towing the protesting boy away.

The boys all departed, after Kuno declared to Ryoga that they were both still invited to move in with him as long as he never had to change any dirty diapers.

Akane and Ryoga made dinner together, "what's next ingredient?" Ryoga asked her.

"A cup of salt" Akane read aloud.

"Read it again" Ryoga said with doubt in his voice.

"Oh a pinch of salt" she corrected herself. "I guess I don't really pay attention when I read a new recipe" she said with a giggle.

"You'll get it" he encouraged her, he loved when she giggled, it made her look so cute. But sadl,y she might never want to see him again after tonight; he had to strip himself bare and tell her the secret he'd been keeping from her…..and hope she'd accept his apology.

After dinner, they spent some more time playing with Midori and then got her ready for bed. Ryoga couldn't stop staring as Akane sang to Midori while she almost sexily danced to the Emma Lou Harris's song, Didn't Leave Nobody, But the Baby. Her voice was much better then it first had seemed. Seeing Ryoga's look of surprise when she'd first sang to Midori, Akane had explained that she was hamming it up to entertain her.

Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)  
>Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)<br>Your momma's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay  
>Didn't leave nobody, but the baby<p>

Akane sang as she danced and rocked Midori in time with the somewhat sexy song.

Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)  
>Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)<br>Everybody's gone in the cotton and the corn  
>Didn't leave nobody, but the baby<p>

Akane glanced at Ryoga and cocked her hip at him with a smile that caused him to shiver.

You're a sweet little baby (you're a sweet little baby)  
>You're a sweet little baby (you're a sweet little baby)<br>Honey and the rock and the sugar don't stop  
>Gonna bring a bottle to the baby<p>

Don't you weep pretty baby (don't you weep pretty baby)  
>Don't you weep pretty baby (don't you weep pretty baby)<br>She's long gone with her red shoes on  
>Gonna need another lovin' baby<p>

Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)  
>Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)<br>You and me and the devil makes three  
>Don't need no other lovin' baby<p>

Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)  
>Go to sleep you little baby (go to sleep you little baby)<br>Come and lay your bones on the alabaster stones and be my ever lovin' baby

Ryoga watched mesmerized as the woman child before him concluded her song, the message in the song was kind of grim but Midori had reacted to it really well when it was sung in a movie they'd seen one night and had long since replaced the usual Rock a Bye Baby, which in itself is a grim song when you really think about it.

Kissing Midori's soft head, Akane placed her in her crib and Ryoga moved to the other side and leaned down to kiss her too. His hand accidently brushed Akane's, sending a spark through both of them and she raised her head and looked up at him. She noted that he was really handsome; his features were still boyish, but held great promise of what a good looking man he was going to be. He seemed to have matured over night and had proved to be a good father. Akane blushed when she imagined what it would be like to kiss him, to feel his lips on her own. He was so much taller then her, he would either have either bend down, or she could sit on his lap while they….

Ryoga noticed Akane studying him intently and asked "are you okay Akane?" shaking the girl out of her revere.

"I'm fine" she said ushering him out of Midori's bedroom and silently closing the door after her. "What do you want to do tonight?" she asked him, her felt kind of nervous in his presence after the disturbing fact that she found herself attracted to the young father.

"I need to talk with you" he replied taking both of her hands, Akane's heart skipped a beat. He led her to the sofa and sat her down. She could see only uncertainty and fear in his eyes while he held onto her hands like they were his lifeline.

"Sure about what?" she asked him.

He took a shuddering breath and then looked at her, as if drinking her in, "I'm P-Chan" he declared.

"Don't be ridiculous, you can't be" she said with a nervous laugh. "I mean there's no way you could become a pig, unless…Jusenkyo?" she guessed. "You're not saying you have a curse like Ranma, Shampoo and Mousse, no you can't be P-Chan!" Akane cried, her heart was racing. She'd always thought P-Chan was a smart pig, with almost human intelligence. No, he couldn't be! P-Chan had slept in her bed! Saw her changing! She'd told him her deepest secrets, To Ryoga!

"Why didn't you tell me? Everyone knew didn't they?" she cried, leaping to her feet.

"Yes they did, Ranma didn't tell you because he felt it was against his honour. Please understand that I meant no harm. Please let me explain" Ryoga cried.

"You took advantage of me, you slept with me! You're a bastard!" she cried.

"It was like this, I was in China when a redhead girl knocked me into the spring of the drowned pig….." he explained the whole thing to her and Akane allowed him to speak. "That's really why I hated Ranma and why he was always chasing me out of your bedroom. Akane, I was lonely, you held me and cared for me at least as a pig, I got confused by that and….kind of addicted to being loved. I grew up in a house where my parents were barely there. To have an affliction like ours is terrify and very lonely. If being directionally challenged wasn't bad enough, I turn into a smelly beast as well. Who would ever want to marry someone like me? That's why I went so readily with Midori's mother, I just wanted to be loved at least one night in my life as a human" he explained desperately at Akane's frosty stare. "Please say something Akane!" he begged the motionless girl, moving to stand before her. He gasped when Akane slapped him across the face.

"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you tricked your way into my bed, you saw me naked" she snarled. "You're a pervert!"

"I never looked when you undressed, I would never" he cried.

"Whatever, I'm out of here. You'll have to make other arrangements for feeding _your_ daughter because I'm going home. I can't stand to be around a despicable sneak like you!" she screamed. "How would you like if someone snuck into Midori's bed like that!"

"She's the reason why I told you, I couldn't have lies between us anymore. I love you Akane!" Ryoga cried.

Akane could only stare at him when he revealed this revelation "if you truly love me as you claim, you would have told me the truth in the first place and let me decide if I wanted to be with you. This has been a crazy year, but I've gotten used to Jusenkyo cursed people and never look down on any of them, it's just another part of their nature. I also wouldn't care if the person who I loved ended up in Minnesota when he tried to find the bathroom in a restaurant, I could handle that. What I can't handle is that you lied to me and continued to do so. I have to go. I'll be back for my stuff and I'll try and help you make other arrangements for someone to help you out with Midori. I'm sorry Ryoga" she said and softly kissed his cheek, this caused him to shiver. "Kiss Midori bye for me" she said as she got to the door and opened it and softly left, wiping tears from her eyes, she now knew how a wife felt when she deserted her husband and daughter

Ryoga collapsed on the couch and cried as if his world was over, sensing her father's distress Midori started crying too. On shaky legs, he went and got her, hugging her to him and rocking her as tears ran down his cheeks. Ryoga was no stranger to being lost, but it had never felt this bad before.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry about the delay getting this chapter out, let's just say that financial difficulties have arisen regarding improperly submitted income tax returns that are being reassessed by Revenue Canada and I could stand to owe them about $7K that I don't have. This tends to rob me of my creativity.

Hope you enjoy this chapter and send me your best wishes or your reviews, whichever you wish to do.

Your pal,

Sad Sid

"Ranma where the fuck are you?" Akane shrieked as soon as she got home, slamming the door after her.

Ranma came down the stairs looking nervous "what's wrong Akane?" he asked her cautiously.

"You knew that Ryoga was P-Chan and you never told me!" she shouted at him.

"He actually told you?" Ranma said in shock. "Good for Ryoga" he said in a tone of approval.

"How is it good! You knew what he was, yet you allowed him to sleep in my bed!" Akane thundered.

"I tried to stop him but you wouldn't let me!" Ranma shouted back. "You insisted on taking him to bed with you. Geeze, it wasn't hard to figure out that Ryoga had his own jusenkyo curse, one minute he was there and then P-Chan showed up the next minute. Plus how many times did Ryoga suddenly appear in your house without anyone inviting him in? Does he strike you as the sort of person who would show up in someone's private residence uninvited?"

"No he doesn't" Akane admitted.

"All the clues were there, how could you spend almost a year with people who turn into other creatures and not suspect that Ryoga was one of them? The rest of us tolerate our curses but Ryoga's torments him. You're the only thing in his life that made it tolerable. As much as I didn't like him deceiving you like that, I couldn't deny him the pleasure of your company" Ranma explained.

Akane grew silent and then to Ranma's shock, burst into tears. "What am I going to do?" She sobbed. "I have to go back there at least for Midori's sake. I don't want my….his daughter drinking formula" she said and then her eyes grew huge when she caught her mistake.

"You really do love her like she was your own?" Ranma asked.

"I know that she isn't, but she's so easy to love. I can't believe that her own mother, who raised her for four months, was able to leave her so easily. I can't even stand not being away from her for a few minutes. Oh kami I was horrible to Ryoga, I have to get back there. They need me, but I can't face him yet. I was so horrible to him" she sobbed, hanging her head in defeat.

"How do you feel about her father?" Ranma asked her.

"I lo-like him. Oh I'm so confused" she sobbed. "I'm so sick of everyone telling me who I have to marry. Why can't I just chose my own husband?" she said, bowing her head.

"I think you already have" Ranma observed.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Think take a few days to think about it and then go see him. As for me, I'm going to be staying with Ryoga, he's going to need my help" Ranma said.

"But how are you going to feed Midori?" Akane asked him.

"I'll think of something," Ranma said with a confident grin.

Ryoga

Ryoga was trying to get Midori to accept the formula, but she didn't like it and now was screaming hysterically.

"Come on, have a little taste for daddy," he practically begged her, staring in her angry red face and watery eyes as she pumped her tiny fists and cried in protest. "Honey you have to eat so that you can grow up to be big and strong like me" he encouraged her.

"I wouldn't want to see a woman that muscular, she'd look so wrong" Ranma commented.

"What do you want Ranma?" he demanded.

"I'm here to help with you with your kid," he said.

"How by insulting her? I'll have you know that her mother's gorgeous, there's no reason why she shouldn't be too " Ryoga asked, rocking Midori, trying to get her to stop fussing.

"Simple, you need a wet nurse and my female form has breasts" Ranma explained, getting a glass of cold water.

Ryoga's jaw hit the floor at that, "that idea's insane. Even if you could, it takes weeks to stimulate lactation. Forget it, it'll never work" he pointed out.

"Look some women can do it right from the get go with no preparation and I'm no ordinary woman; I'm Ranma Saotome. I can master anything," he said, dumping the water over himself." Oh that's cold," she cried out, her nipples fully erect.

"Ranma this isn't some martial arts competition, this is a baby. Not the Saotome School of Anything Goes Nipple Lactation Feeding Baby technique or anything like that" Ryoga said dubiously.

"Give me the kid" Ranma demanded, unfastening her shirt, revealing that she wasn't wearing her customary undershirt underneath.

Ryoga turned bright red and got a nosebleed to see her pink nipples revealed for all to see. "Ranma show some modesty," he cried, holding Midori out of harm's way. Ranma took that as an invitation and scooped her into her arms.

"No time for that now, how do I do this?" she asked him, taking a seat in the rocking chair that Kasumi had found at a discount store and had sent over for Akane to use.

"It's not going to work" Ryoga said.

"Of course it will, now walk me through this" Ranma said.

"Okay brush your nipple against her lips, if she's hungry, she'll open her mouth. Then just lower your nipple into it she'll start sucking" Ryoga explained, keeping his back to her.

"Okay, oh that feels weird. Hey I think its working!" Ranma enthused and then tugged experimentally on her other one and was rewarded when a stream of milk shot from it.

Ryoga turned around; Ranma's state of undress no longer bothering him. He could only gap as his daughter made contented noises while she was fed. "How is it even possible that you can do that so easily? You're not even a real girl, you spend most of your time as a guy!" he said in a stunned tone of voice.

"Guess I'm just a natural. See? I told you that I can do anything; I'm Ranma Saotome" she shot back, a smile of confidence on her face. "Looks like we're going to be roomies for a while, amongst other things of course" she commented.

"Is Akane still mad at me?" Ryoga asked her.

"You could say that, she almost took my head off. Look she needs time to consider the situation and decide what she wants to do. She's not the sort to hold a grudge, she'll be back" Ranma said. "I'm proud of you for telling her"

"Yes for what good it did me, I didn't help that I admitted that I was in love with her right after that. As if one revelation wasn't enough," He said bitterly.

"Look I didn't like how you and Akane were playing house at first, but she's been so happy lately with you and Midori, happier than I've ever seen her" Ranma admitted.

"What do you mean playing house?" Ryoga demanded. "That's not a doll, that's a baby. She'll be dependant on me for at least the next eighteen years if not longer. Don't you realize when you're going to college; I'll be interviewing kindergartens? When you marry, I'll be taking her to ballet lessons and be a member of the pta and I'll have to do these things all alone because no one will ever marry me now. The pig and direction thing were bad enough, but now a kid? A single mother looks cute with kids beside her, a single father just look pathetic! Don't you realize how lucky are that you're going to marry Akane!"

"Look I don't want to marry Akane" Ranma snapped. "I don't know why no one listens when I say that. Ryoga get this through your big, fat head. Akane's like a sister to me and we're not compatible. We'd kill each other if we got married. She needs someone more even tempered. I keep telling people that I want to go to back to China to find the cure and get back on the road learning new moves. That's what I want, not to be in stuck some small backwater town full of weirdos. I marry Akane, I get the dojo, but at what cost? Stuck living with her weird family forever and taking over a business without any students? How long will it be before I turn into my father, playing go with them and sit around getting drunk all day long? That's not for me, I want adventure before I open my own dojo and need to get my name out there to attract students who will want to study under me, I can't do it here. No, the dojo could provide a decent income if properly managed by someone who's willing to invest the time and is himself a decent martial artist….and is good with children, not that he couldn't teach all levels. Perhaps someone who even has friends who could substitute for him while he goes to school and bring in diverse styles and new moves to add to his own repertoire? Not to mention has a built in family and woman who loves….his daughter and tons of uncles and aunts willing to baby-sit. Who might that be?" Ranma asked Ryoga.

"You're suggesting that I…" he said in surprise.

"Stranger things have happened" Ranma said, switching breasts. "Oh I think she done, now just have to burp her," Ranma said, setting Midori on her shoulder and lightly patting her back.

"Ranma, you might want to use a….towel" Ryoga objected and then both looked at the baby spew staining Ranma's favourite red shirt.

"Ew, so disgusting things come out of both ends of these things? How could you do this to your uncle Ranma" she chided Midori.

"I think she's going to be awfully confused about whether you're her uncle or her aunt until she gets old enough to understand about our curses" Ryoga commented.

"Nah I'll be cured by then" Ranma said confidently.

The Next Day

Ryoga stepped into his apartment to incredible sight of Ranma playing with Midori. "Come on take your stance" she said to her and took a defensive stance herself, "okay now try to block me" she said and to Ryoga's surprise, Midori's tiny fists actually seemed to block Ranma's as she softly punched them towards her. Lifting her up "who's a natural at martial arts" she cooed. "You're going to be just as good as your father someday" Ryoga suppressed at laugh at Ranma's gooey voice.

"Now what song to you want to hear?" she asked her, kissing her head and pretending to listen to her. "The Foo Fighters, good choice. Everyone was kung fu fighting. Those cats were fast as lighting…" she sang and then she blushed when she realized that she was being observed.

"Don't you think that you should wait until she can at least crawl before you start teaching her martial arts?" Ryoga commented.

"Whatever take your kid" Ranma said in embarrassment. "She's been fed and changed, dinner will be ready in an hour"

"You made dinner too?" Ryoga asked.

"It's nothing fancy" Ranma snarled as she stalked off to the kitchen.

"You're going to make some lucky guy a great wife someday" Ryoga commented. "Now Ranma, did you kiss my baby with that mouth" he said facetiously.

"I don't kiss babies" Ranma shot back.

"I just saw you" Ryoga countered. "Now Ranma, you shouldn't use that kind of language in front of Midori, I certainly wouldn't that to be her first word"

Akane

Akane lay back on her bed; her mind was in turmoil as she missed both Hibikis' so much.

"Akane are you okay" Kasumi asked her.

"I'm miserable, I can't believe Ryoga lied to me," she said with a sniffle.

"Akane you can't blame entirely blame him. Yes he did lie but he's always struck me as lonely, you can't blame him for seeking love and acceptance even if he went about it the wrong way. It couldn't have been easy for him, traveling around and getting lost the way he does. He should be in a home and going to school. Ryoga's an honourable gentleman. I trusted him enough to encourage father to allow you to live with him because I knew that he would never try and take advantage of you or the situation. He's too kind and decent for that. Heck if Ranma and he got along better, I would have insisted that he move in with us and I would help him raise Midori as well as you. I still might if his parents don't allow him to come home." Kasumi said.

"But we can't afford to have another person move in" Akane said.

"Then father will just have to start teaching again or I'll clean houses for people to supplement what Nabiki gives me towards household expenses. He and that baby need a proper home surrounded by love, like the love that you've been giving them both" Kasumi said.

"You think I love Ryoga?" Akane asked.

"I've helped raise you, I've never seen you look at a boy like that" Kasumi said. "I hope that someday someone will look at me like that"

"Someone will, the man that loves you is closer than you think" Akane replied. "I've got to go back to my family" Akane said sitting up.

"But your family is here" Kasumi said.

"Not all of them, but I hope to change that soon" Akane said.

"But what about your engagement to Ranma?" Kasumi asked, suppressing a smile.

"Fuck that, I'll marry whom I want to marry and dad will have to accept that" Akane said with determination in her voice and ran out of the house.

"Looks like I'm getting a new brother-in-law" Kasumi said with a smile, wondering who Akane had meant.

Ryoga

Ryoga was surprised when the door burst open and Akane stood there. "Akane, are you looking for Ranma? He's at the market. Listen I'm so sorry…" he said and then stopped when she flung her arms around him and hugged him hard, he slipped his own arms around her and held her tight.

Akane

Akane looked up into his gentle and vulnerable looking face, she had so much to say to him but the words seemed to tangle up in her mouth, so on impulse she pressed her lips tentatively against his. He seemed to hesitate for a second before he his lips curled beneath hers and they shyly kissed while they held each other tight. It deepened while tears of joy flowed down Ryoga's face to be tenderly stroked away by Akane's soft fingers while she poured all the love she had for him into her kiss.


End file.
